Vacuum-trap.



J. A. BEMISH.

VACUUM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1911.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINUTON, D. c.

JOHN A. BEMISH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

VACUUM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2,1912.

Application filed July 3, 1911. Serial No. 636,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BEMISH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum- Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to automaic devices for controlling the escape of water of condensation from steam hcating systems of the vacuum type although it is applicable to other devices of similar character.

In devices of the kind in question it has heretofore been proposed to employ a cupshaped member moving in a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, said member being slidingly guided upon a hollow stem, or guide, projecting upwardly from the outlet of the chamber. This cup is provided at the bottom with a valve-member cooperating with an escape-vent for water in or upon the guide or stem. As the water of condensation collects in the chamber it causes the cup to float, whereby the valvemember is held in position to close the water-vent. When the water rises high enough in the chamber, however, it overflows the upper edge of the cup until the buoyancy of the cup is sufficiently reduced to cause it to fall. The downward movcment of the cup not only opens the water-V vent, but also causes a further quantity of water to flow into the cup, so that a considerable amount of water is discharged through the water-vent. As soon as the water has been sufliciently discharged from the cup, it regains its buoyancy and rises, thus closing the water-vent.

In devices of the kind just described, as previously proposed, valve-members having a sliding engagement with their seats have been employed, and such devices have been unsatisfactory not only because liable to vide a vacuum-trap of the type in question with a simple form and arrangement of airvent and controlling-valve therefor, and to this end I locate the air-vent at the top of 1 the guide-member upon which the float-cup is mounted, and employ an air-valve extending upwardly through the top of the float-chamber, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical, median section of a vacuumtrap embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 isa horizontal sectionon the line 22 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a sectionon a larger scale on the line A-A in Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention has the usual float-chamber 3, provided with an inlet 4, which may be connected with the outlet-end of a radiator or system of radiators, and an outlet 5 which is connected with the drainage-system by which the water of condensation is carried away. A check-valve 6 is shown as controlling the inlet 4, although this is not essential to the invention. v

The float is in the form of a cup 7 of thin sheet-metal vertically movable in the fioatchamber and open at the top. The float-cup 1s provided at the bottom with a collar 8, which is shown as secured within an openmg in the cup, although it may be formed integrally therewith, if preferable. This collar has an easy sliding fit upon a hollow .cyl1ndr1cal stem 9, which is screwed into the outlet-opening at the bottom of'the'floatchamber. The stem thus constitutes a guide for the collar 8, and serves to hold the cup in upright position and restrict it to vertical movements. The upper end of the stem 9 is covered by a cap 11, which is formed integral with the stem, being connected therewith, at intervals, by radial arms 12, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. The cap is of greater diameter than the stem and depends around the upper extremity of the stem, while the top of the cap is spaced above the upper extremity of the stem. The cap and the stem thus fornf between them an annular space or passage constituting a vent for water of condensation, this vent communicating, through the hollow stem, with the outlet-opening 5. At the inside of the water-vent the stem 9 is provided, at its upper extremity, with an annular inclined valve-seat 10, while the cap is provided, at its lower edge, with an oppositely-disposed concentric annular valve-seat 13. The upper extremity of the collar 8 is also provided with concentric annular inclined surfaces, which conform to the valve-seats 10 and 11, so that the collar is adapted to operate as a valve-member, acting, when in uppermost position, to close the water-vent against the escape of water, air or steam. v

In Fig. 1 the float-cup is shown as in its normal position, being buoyantly sustained by water in the float-chamber, so that the water-vent is closed by the valve-member 8. It will be noted that in this position of the parts both the cup and the water-vent are eifectually sealed against the discharge of water, for the escape of water from the cup is prevented by the engagement of the valve-seat 13 with the corresponding surface on the valve-member 8, while the leakage of water into the cup or the water-vent between the valve'member 8 and the stem 9 is prevented by the engagement of the l t-ion, a float-chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, a hollow fixed guide projecting upwardly from the outlet and pro- Evided at the top with an air-vent, and, at a flower point, with a water-vent, a float-cup slidably. mounted on said hollow guide and valve-seat 10 with the corresponding valvesurfa'ce. Accordingly the stem may be formed with a loose fit in the valve-member 8, so that the danger of these parts binding is eliminated, while at the same time the valve acts eiiectually to hold the water-vent closed.

To permit the escape of small quantities of air which may accumulate in the radiators, a small air-vent is provided in the middle of the cap 10, this vent being controlled by a needle-valve 14. The needle-valve is threaded in the top of the float'chamber, and it passes through a gland 15 to the exterior of the chamber, so that it may be accessible for the purpose of adjustment.

stantial amount of vapor.

I claim '1. A vacuum-trap having, in combination, a float-chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, a hollow stem projecting upwardly from the outlet and providedwith a valve-seat, a cap covering the upper end ]at-ing respectively and simultaneously with said valve-seats when the float-cup is in raised position, whereby the water-vent is normally sealed against the flow of fluid both from within and from without the ;cup.

2. A vacuum-trap having, in combinaprovided with a valve-member normally closing the water-vent, and a valve-rod of ;which the lower end extends downwardly to and cooperates directly with the air-vent, said valve-rod being adjustably supported fin vertical position and passing upwardly through the float-cup and the top of the float-chamber so as to be adjustable from the outside of the vacuum-trap.

This ar- 1 rangement permits a slight leakage through the trap sufficient to carry away the air, I without permitting the escape of any sub- JOHN A. BEMISH.

Witnesses D. GURNEE, L. THON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, 1). c." 

